Never Enough
by whitetiger91
Summary: Aberforth had always been Ariana's favourite brother—until Albus had made him stay at Hogwarts. Now home for the holidays, he wonders if he'll ever be enough for her.


**_This story was written for The Houses Competition, Year 5, Bonus Round Four. _**

**_House/team: Gryffindor_**

**_Class subject: Defence Against the Dark Arts_**

**_Story category: Drabble_**

**_Prompt: 1. [Song Prompt] Never Enough from The Greatest Showman_**

**_Word count: 1998 words (Google docs)_**

**_Beta: White Eyebrow_**

**_Extra: Whilst Ariana is 14, I believe she was very much younger cognitively (canon) due to the boys' attack on her years previously. 'Cad' is an insult from the late 19th/early 20th century referring to a 'selfish' or 'dishonourable' man, etc._**

* * *

**Never Enough**

Aberforth sighed as he tried to count the billions of stars scattered across the inky sky. As usual, it was an impossible feat; no matter how long he stayed out, he'd never manage to spy them all, especially when more seemed to appear every night.

The damp grass seeped into his robes, soaking his back, but he didn't get up. Tearing his gaze from the twinkling stars, he peered into the nearby house. The living room was bathed in the soft glow of a single lamp, casting shadows across the face of the boy sitting at the table. The boy didn't blink as he stared at something across the room, his body rocking and thin lips moving as though he was talking to himself.

Feeling his blood begin to boil—why was the selfish, auburn-haired brute still there?—he focused again on the stars that he wished to steal and bring back to Earth. No matter what his brother had done, it didn't change anything; compared to the brilliant Albus Dumbledore, Aberforth would never be enough for _her_.

* * *

_**One month earlier...**_

"Mmm, definitely not in here…"

Standing just outside the bedroom door, Aberforth stomped his feet on the dusty floorboards, causing the sound to bounce off the walls and echo up and down the hallway. He then stopped and held his breath, hoping that his rouse had worked.

Sure enough, from inside the bedroom came a giggle. Careful not to cause the floorboards to creak beneath his weight, the fifteen-year-old peered around the door frame and scanned the room. The neatly-made bed had no lumps on its surface, and although the area beneath it could conceal a small child, more soft giggles had his eyes turning towards the long, velvet curtains. Poking out from their hem were a pair of black shoes.

With his breath still held, the brunet tip-toed across the room.

"Rah! Got you!" he said, pulling back the curtains with a grin.

Ariana peered up at him with wide eyes, her smile fading from her lips. For a moment, his heart stopped, and his own smile slipped away.

How could he have been so stupid? After what his sister had been through with those boys, what made him think that she was ready to play a game that involved 'ambushing' her? Even years later, she clearly wasn't ready. She could've lost control of her magic again, and he'd never forgive himself if he put her through another accidental death...

He swallowed. "Ari, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

His sister's grin returned. "Your turn."

Aberforth relaxed. As Ariana turned around and began counting, he slunk from the room.

He looked up and down the hallway, searching for a suitable hiding spot. His eyes soon fell upon an unused cupboard on the landing, and he dived into it.

Once again, he found himself holding his breath as he listened to the noises in the house. He soon heard Ariana's soft footsteps wandering around the hall, broken by the sound of doors opening and closing as she no doubt searched underneath the beds. The sound of another door opening met his ears, however, and soon, the sound of hurried footsteps clambering down the stairs.

"Albus!"

Sighing, Aberforth got out of the cupboard. He followed the sound of excited voices down the stairs, annoyed that yet another game had been interrupted.

"Did you miss me?" Albus asked, smiling down at Ariana.

With a pang, Aberforth saw that his sister had wrapped her arms around their brother's legs. Once upon a time, it would've been himself that she looked at with doting eyes; things had definitely changed since Albus had forced him to go back to Hogwarts. He used to be her favourite, but now, whenever their older brother entered the room, Aberforth could never hold Ariana's attention.

"I trust you've behaved yourself today? Haven't thrown goat faeces at the neighbours again, I hope," Albus said, looking down his perfect nose at him.

His hands balled into fists. The neighbours had deserved it; they'd been whispering about why Ariana hadn't attended school and needed a reminder to mind their own business. Of course, Albus had been too busy to notice or do anything about it.

Albus clutched Ariana's hand. "Come on, let's wash up for dinner," he said.

Ariana grinned, all thoughts of the fun she and Aberforth were having together gone. Aberforth watched them head back upstairs, wondering if he'd ever do enough for Ariana to look at _him_ that way again.

* * *

**_Three weeks earlier..._**

"Wow, that's a huge tower," Aberforth said.

Although Ariana's hands still shook, she'd managed to pile several wooden blocks atop one another without knocking them over. It was a little wonky, but her proud grin more than made up for it.

"Okay, how about I show you something else we can make?" he said, pulling a pile of coloured square parchment towards them.

With a wink at Ariana, who looked on, her eyes alight with wonder, he began folding a piece of paper back and forth. He took particular care in ensuring each crease was crisp, aware that Albus, who was reading nearby, would likely scoff at his efforts and claim he could do better.

"Tada! One paper crane, just for you," he said.

Ariana took it tentatively, balancing it on her palm as though she was holding the world. Aberforth glanced at Albus with a smirk. The red-head didn't glance up from his book, too busy with his grand plans to bother with either of them.

"Would you like to make one?" he asked, turning back to Ariana.

She tore her eyes away from it and nodded eagerly. She set the paper crane next to her, patting its tiny, paper head.

Aberforth grinned and gave her a piece of gold parchment. Selecting a piece of green paper for himself, he showed her how to make each fold.

It didn't take long for her to become frustrated. As she fumbled with the folds, her fair eyebrows knitted into a frown and her tongue protruded from her rosy lips. His heart thudded in his chest, wondering if perhaps he was pushing her too far. What if she became too frustrated, and it set off her magic?

No, she could do it.

Taking a deep breath, he slowed down, encouraging her every step of the way until two more cranes were added to the first.

Her blue eyes sparkled. "I did it!"

Aberforth's heart swelled with pride. He leant forward, taking out his wand so that Albus couldn't see it. "Now, hold your palm still and watch this."

With a gentle tap, he made the golden crane's wings beat gently. It wasn't enough to make it fly—unlike his perfect brother, Transfiguration wasn't his forte—nor to make the Ministry aware he was practising underage magic, but it was enough to make Ariana gasp.

Her eyes were focused on the fluttering paper bird. Then, slowly, she got up and walked over to Albus.

"Albus, look!" she said, holding the crane out to him.

His heart plummeted as he watched Albus put down his book and smile at her. Ariana took his hand, smoothed out his palm, and placed the crane upon it.

Aberforth sighed and began to pick up all the scraps of parchment. Even if he gave her the world, it would never be enough to compete with Albus.

* * *

_**Two weeks earlier...**_

"Abie, why are there so many..." Ariana yawned widely, "...stars?"

Aberforth turned to her. Her eyes were half-closed as she struggled to keep her eyes on the sky. He knew it was getting late, and the night air was chilly, but he wasn't ready to go inside yet. Albus was off with his precious friend Gellert—where, he didn't know or care—and with the school holidays rapidly drawing to a close, he wanted all the time he could with her without disruption.

"I'm not sure, really. I think a new star appears in place of every person who leaves Earth," he said, looking back at the sky.

"Oh."

Silence fell upon them, save for Ariana's occasional yawns. She snuggled closer to him on the blanket, seemingly determined to stay awake.

"Abie?"

"Mmm?"

Ariana turned her head to him, her golden curls tickling his chin. "Do you think Mother likes being a star? Maybe better than she liked it here?"

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. It was the first time she'd mentioned their mother since the accident, but he was sure she thought about her every day. He wanted her to know it wasn't her fault that she'd lost control of her magic, but no words ever seemed to be right.

"I'm sure she does," he said, hoping it was enough.

* * *

_**One week earlier...**_

_"Crucio!"_

Aberforth had never felt so much pain in his life. Every nerve, every muscle, every bone felt like it was on fire, poked over and over by a white-hot sword. He writhed around, trying to alleviate his agony, but when that didn't work, he laid still and concentrated on staying alive.

He needed to be brave, to fight through it for Ariana. It was bad enough that his brother had interrupted their time together again. They'd been sitting in the living room, creating more paper cranes, but Ariana's eyes had constantly wandered to the window, bewitched by what their brother and his friend were doing in the garden. Knowing she'd lost all interest in their activity, Aberforth had sent her upstairs to wash before lunch and snuck outside. He'd discovered his brother speaking of taking Ariana with them on their adventures, but there was no way he'd allow the selfish cad to take her away forever.

"That was just a taste!" Gellert shouted, his eyes flashing with madness.

The pain ebbed away, leaving him panting on the ground. Through the pounding in his head, he could hear Albus shouting at Gellert. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself onto his feet. He swayed as his heart thumped wildly in his chest.

"Are you alright? Take Ariana back inside!"

He managed to steady himself enough to glare at Albus. His brother had never had Ariana's best intentions at heart; how could he when all he wanted to do was to go off exploring with that maniac?

He knew he'd ought to escort Ariana away from the fighting. From the corner of his eye, he could see her standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with fright, probably for what would happen to Albus. The thought made him see red, however, and he turned to Gellert.

"Neither of you are taking her! _Flipendo!_"

Gellert dodged out of the way, returning fire with a swift flick of his wrist. Albus blocked it, and soon, spells lit up the grass like spotlights on a stage. Red, white, blue, green—it was difficult to know who fired which spell. All Aberforth knew was that he had to stop them from taking his only friend away.

"Ariana, no!"

Time seemed to slow down as Aberforth saw, too late, Ariana walking among the fray. He stopped breathing as he saw the brightest green light strike her square in the chest. Frozen to the spot, he watched her fall to the ground, her eyes open, unblinking.

He wasn't sure if he or Albus screamed her name, or how he'd come to kneel by her side. He shook her body, praying she'd wake up. Her pale arm flopped to her side, and when he looked down at it, convinced she'd moved it herself, he saw that she was clutching a golden paper crane.

* * *

Aberforth closed his eyes as tears trickled down his cheeks.

He'd failed her; he should've gotten her inside, should've let Albus take her. If he hadn't been so jealous of his brother, perhaps she'd have been able to lie by his side again, and not above him in the night sky.

No, he'd never be enough for Ariana, and he only had himself to blame.

* * *

_**A/N for the Golden Snitch: You may notice that origami (particularly origami cranes) has featured twice now in my recent stories. This is because it's part of a project I'm working on in memory of Sadako Sasaki (1943–1955). Please see The Golden Snitch forum soon for more details. #crane2**_


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